A Mistake
by Aaliyah Kitten
Summary: Ethel had a kind but tainted soul. She tries to help whoever her mother and King Oberon push away, but she has had some mistakes. Like living. Or falling in love with Robin Goodfellow. And telling him before she gets married to someone else. Puck x OC x Sage
1. Chapter 1

MY NAME IS ETHEL. And I am a mistake.

I am, or so I'm _always _told, an important representative in Seelie territory and a favorite of Queen Titania. Strange, right? Nah. I'm her daughter.

What? Meghan Chase? Yeah, I know my... 'sister.' It's really weird saying that, since we don't really even share any blood. And Titania hates that, even though she has me, and tells me everyday, privately, that, if Meghan Chase ever got into our territory- which we knew would most likely wouldn't happen since Robin Goodfellow, or what everyone calls him: Puck, is taking care of her in the mortal realm- to hate her. But, to be honest, even though I always agree with Titania, I can't bring myself to do so. I mean, Titania did (almost) the same mistake with me, right? I bet Oberon actually wanted Meghan Chase to happen, but... I sometimes doubt that Titania wanted _me _to happen. She sometimes turns me into animals of her choice to make herself entertained- and that's what I often think about myself. A mistake. Entertainment.

But, every once in a while, when I am about to lose hope for myself, I think about the one person who could brighten my day- a person who was far away. Robin Goodfellow. (Or my dad, but I usually think of Puck.) The one man who would make my spirits brighten in a flash, the one man who can make me go to sleep in peace. The one man who can make my heart flutter when there's a hint of him anywhere- in reality or in my mind.

Nine 'months' later, in the seemingly middle of our day, after Puck left, I could be found sauntering down a staircase towards the throne room, where Oberon and my mother sat in wait for me, wearing my norm- a shining, long, and skinny emerald dress. I came close to the double doors, where the guards noticed my appearance and opened the doors to the throne room, where all eyes, of nobility or poor, looked at me. I could see a fragile dryad crumpled on the floor in front of two knights, crying her eyes out as Oberon whispered something to the knights. Her wails grew in volume before Oberon directed them to take her out of the room. They grabbed her arms, which looked very uncomfortable, and I quickly cut in, stepping in front of the two soldiers. They bowed in respect and tried to walk past me, but I moved in front of them again. They looked up at me again, this time in confusion, and looked at me in confusion.

"May we be of use to you, ma'am?" one of the knights asked. I nodded, holding out my arms.

"Give the poor soul to me," I ordered. The other knight went to do so, but the first took her back before I could even touch the dryad.

"King Oberon told us to kill her in the-"

"There will be no bloodshed today, boys, unless you do not give the dryad over," I snarled in warning and the first knight hesitantly handed her over. I put two fingers to my mouth and loudly whistled to call my servant, a satyr named Ruten. He came in a flash and I handed the fragile dryad, who had curled up in my arms, over to him. "Take her to my room, Ruten," I ordered softly to my satyr. "Give her the comfort of my bed and accept any order she gives you as if it were me. Unless it is completely absurd." Ruten nodded with an amused smile and left my company. I looked back toward my mother and Oberon, but the knights were still there. Another light clicked on and I whispered to them, "you or any other kill any dryads today, especially ones that she was helping, and I, myself, will take you to the courtyards and slice your neck into two." The knights nodded nervously and left my company, and I stepped up to King Oberon and Queen Titania.

"May I be of your service, King Oberon? Mother?" Oberon narrowed his eyes and shot a glare towards an unaware Titania, who smiled at me.

"Yes, Ethel dear. We have been told of a sighting in the wyldwood. A sighting of the jester Robin Goodfellow-" my heart stopped for a minute before it quickly resumed to let me hear the rest- "and the dirty half-blood-"

"Meghan Chase," Oberon cut in quickly, shooting her another glare.

"...Yes. And we order you to cage the jester and, hopefully, bring the girl into our custody. That is all, daughter," Titania smiled and I turned, leaving the room.

I then went to my room to pack up, but when I entered, I remembered about the dryad, who was sleeping on the floor beside my bed. I chuckled and picked her up, placing her on my bed and pulling the covers over her. I turned away to see Ruten, who was glaring at the window. "What did the window do to you?" I whispered to him, amused, and he looked back at me.

"Robin Goodfellow is back," he stated, and I nodded in confusion.

"So...?" I asked and he turned his eyes towards me, which had slightly, barely, faltered in glare.

"Mistress, Robin Goodfellow is not good for you. All he does is wreck havoc-"

"Yes, and?" I crossed my arms. "And anyway, it's not like anything is going to happen between us-"

"Your actions seem to beg for it," Ruten snapped. I narrowed my eyes.

"What gives you the right to use that tone with me? I have all control over myself and my decisions!" I tried to keep my voice down for the sleeping dryad, but it was taking every ounce of my strength not to.

"I just don't want you to be broken in the end, Ethel!" he responded and I stomped over to him, slightly shaking my room, a hollow thud shouting back at me as I stomp.

"Who says I will be? I know that a happily ever after is never going to happen to me. Especially with a man as wonderful as Robin Goodfellow." Ruten then sighed and looked away.

"I apologize for saying anything, Mistress," he whispered and I stepped back, going to gather anything that would be of use in my journey.


	2. Chapter 2

It took me quite the while to find Puck, and I was unable to find Meghan at all. I just wished that she would come to Seelie territory somehow instead of getting eaten in the wyldwood or Unseelie territory. Though I was a bit frightened for myself, since Puck was persistent as heck and wouldn't move ever five minutes for five minutes.

Two days passed between my getting Puck and getting him back to King Oberon and Mother, though Puck tried to lengthen it as much as he could. He would make me let him go to do some business for just five minutes, and I threatened him that I would make Mother or Oberon come out and get him if he wasn't back in those five minutes. I tried to keep him out of the cage for as long as I could before getting back into the Summer Court, where I forced him into the cage I was carrying and presented him to Oberon. (Mother wasn't there.) He acknowledged my accomplishment and I curtsied, giving Robin Goodfellow a last, sad, glance, before attempting to leave, still grieving over the fact that I wasn't able to get Meghan to Mother and Oberon, when the double doors opened to Meghan Chase herself. As I scurried to the side, I spotted a feline that looks very familiar to a very annoying cat that would help me out sometimes- a.k.a. Grimalkin. And I bet he was.

Meghan came up to the throne, after all eyes were drawn to her and the cat made some side remarks, and fell to one knee in a bow. A few seconds of silence flew by as Oberon observed his daughter and I started to slowly slither towards the double doors so as to escape from the awkward air that passed through the room. "Rise, Meghan Chase," Oberon's booming voice echoed through the room before I could take three small steps away from where I was standing before. Meghan rose and met Oberon's eyes as he continued. "You have trespassed into our lands. You were never meant to see the Nevernever, and yet you tricked a member of this court into bringing you across the barrier. Why?"

"I'm looking for my brother, sir. Ethan Chase," she replied.

"No dip about the last name, Sherlock," I whispered under my breath, slowly taking a few more steps as they continued.

"And you have reason to believe he is here?" Oberon asked.

"I don't know," Meghan replied, sending a desperate look towards Grimalkin, who was just tending to himself. "My friend Robbie... Puck... he told me that Ethan was kidnapped by faeries. That they left a changeling in his place."

"I see," Oberon turned his head slightly to look at the caged Robin. "And that is yet another transgression, Robin." You could literally see Meghan's mouth drop to the floor as she gaped at Puck.

"Puck?" Puck looked at her, cawing softly and seemingly shrugging. "What are you doing to him?" Meghan demanded.

"He was commanded never to bring you to our land. He was ordered to keep you blind to our ways, our life, our very existence. I punished him for his disobedience. Perhaps I will turn him back in a few centuries, after he has had time to think on his transgressions."

"First of all," I spoke up quickly before Meghan could speak, _right _before I got to the door, sadly, "no offence intended, but you sent _me _to punish him. Second, humans losing a family member to some unknown creature want to rescue that family member- or friend-, and they will bribe for any help they could get."

"Daughter-"

"I am _not _your daughter, King, so you should not call me as one," I snapped, which somewhat startled Oberon.

"Daughter," he repeated and I face palmed myself, "we do not think of life the same way as humans do-"

"But you know what, maybe we should!" I raised my voice slightly, which everyone noticed and feared a bad reaction from Oberon. "Humans- and every other race in the Nevernever- aren't as pitying as you all think they are. Some races may even be better than us in some things. So if they ask for help, we should comply, because they are as equal as us, even if they look different and have a line of different traits!" You could hear thunder from outside as Oberon stood in anger, slowly getting larger.

"You are to stay in your room, Ethel, until I allow you to do otherwise!" He roared. I glared at him and turned away, my dark blue long trench coat flowing behind me as I left the room briskly in anger.


	3. Chapter 3

I glowered as I sat on a rocking chair which was laid in a corner, trying to get over my bad mood, when the dryad awoke. Her soft green eyelids fluttered open, showing her dark brown eyes, and she turned over, away from me, in acceptance to the warmth. Then, as I guessed, she noticed she was in my bed, and quickly fell off in surprise. She quickly looked around the room to see if anyone saw her and spotted me, then cried out in fear. "I'm so sorry, mistress! I never meant-"

"No, no, dear dryad. I put you in my bed myself," I smiled at the dryad. "Now, what's happening to your village?"

"T-there were three guards patrolling the perimeter and found our sister picking some berries from their bushes. The guards then attacked her, and we noticed when she started screaming. We quickly rushed over, and... and we killed one of the knights in protection for our sister. My family fled, but I wasn't quick enough and they took me here. Please, ma'am, understand-" she started crawling over to me by the end.

"I understand completely," I whispered reassuringly, standing up and pulling the dryad to her feet. "What happened to your sister, though?"

The dryad's eyes teared up and she hugged me tightly, "They killed her." We stayed in that position for a while as thoughts of anger flew in my head, ones of anger, ones of sadness. Finally, I hesitantly tore the dryad away from me.

"When you feel ready," I told her softly, "go back to your village. Tell everyone that there will, I hope, be no more bloodshed between us when I am done speaking to the Seelie court." The dryad's expression lit up almost immediately, and she hugged me with glee.

"Oh, thank you, thank you, mistress of Summer!" She cried out, "we are forever in your debt."

"Oh no," I smiled, pushing her away from me softly again, "this is what should be happening in the whole world. A time of peace." The dryad nodded thankfully and quickly started to run to the window.

"I will tell them right away!" She told me before quickly opening the window.

"If you have any more problems, ask for Ethel!" I shouted after her retreating back. I smiled, my mood lifted, until I turned and saw my door opening. In came Oberon, King of Summer, and my mood jumped right back down. "Yes, King of Summer?" I asked, trying to keep snappiness out of my voice.

"Elysium is tomorrow, Ethel. Will you be able to behave?" I glared at him slightly, but nodded. "Good. Lady Weaver will attend to you before Titania's party." I nodded and he left, closing the door softly. I sighed, sitting down on my cluttered bed. _If I'm going to dance with anybody of the Winter Court, it's only going to be Sage. Rowan and Ash are _way _too heartless._

_*About three hours later...*_

I stood, gazing at the beautiful dress Lady Weaver made for me this Elysium. It was a flowing white dress with a thin diagonal layering starting at the right of my waist and going to my left knee. She also gave me a pair of slight heels, colored white, and an emerald necklace, matching earrings. I nodded in thanks and she left me to change out before supper. I changed into a blue dress with my long dark blue trench coat and some dark blue flats.

I walked down some staircases, nodding at some passer-by, and walked outside, weaving through a maze until I got to a little opening in the middle, where some servants were finishing up any preparations. "Nice work," I commented to a brownie, who nodded in thanks and kept working. I then spotted Mother working on putting something somewhere perfect- a banquet of flowers. Where it happened to be at the moment was just about perfect, so I perked up before Mother could give another order, "Put it about an inch to the left." She did so, and Mother and I smiled at the perfection of placement.

"Good, Ethel dear," Mother told me, and I nodded to her and the brownie, who smiled and hurried to do more preparation details. Mother then took me to a side of the clearing, saying, "There's something urgent I have to tell you, Ethel." I followed, and when we stopped, I saw a slight rustle in the leaves of the side, but I excused it, thinking it's just the leaves getting uncomfortable in position.

"Well," Mother started hesitantly, "the Winter witch and I have been talking, and she-"

"Why, exactly, were you talking to Queen Mab?" I asked curiously.

"That is of no need to know. But anyway, dear, she was telling me of what was happening in the Winter Court, and... well, dear, even though I was very hesitant..."

"Just tell me what's happening, Mother, please," I begged. She hesitated before finally spitting out,

"You're getting married to Sage."


	4. Chapter 4

I stood in shock for a few minutes, and Mother gave me a look of pity. "I'm sorry, but Mab-"

"It's fine, Mother," I immediately answered, then added, "I just want to be alone for a bit." Mother nodded in understanding and left me to my thoughts. I slumped to my knees in shock, and looked down at my hands. "...Why?" I whispered to them. "Why do things like these happen to me?" A bit more rustling came from behind me, and I looked to the top of the top of the bushes to see Puck looking at me sadly. I quickly rose and he held out his hand. I grabbed it and he hauled be over the bush, pulling me into a hug when I reached the ground on the other side.

"So..." Puck whispered into my ear, "you're going into a marriage and you never told me?" I looked up at him, and he had a sad smirk on his face.

"Hey, you found out the same exact time I did," I commented, looking back down at the floor, hugging him closer. "And anyway, bringing you into a wedding would probably cause the most chaos the Nevernever has ever seen." Puck chuckled and pulled me away softly, gripping my shoulders.

"There's just one question I have for you," he told me seriously, which was quite a shock, "do you like Sage, Prince of Ice Land?" I shrugged, looking away.

"Kind of. I mean, I would pick him over Ash or Rowan, but... I like someone else." Puck raised a curious brow, but I still didn't meet his gaze.

"And who would that be?" he asked eagerly, but I just shook my head.

"It's no use. There's no way it would ever work."

"Maybe I could help...?" He winked and I turned to face him.

"Maybe you could. But there's no way for that now, with my marrying Sage," I sighed, looking away again.

"Why do you keep looking away, Ethel?" He asked, annoyed, shaking my shoulders as to get my attention.

"Because I'm able to," I snapped as I looked at him. I sighed, looking away again, "It's just that... Well, I'm just upset."

"Because you can't be with the guy of your dreams?" He asked, just a bit amused.

"...Yeah. My satyr doesn't like me with you, and-" my eyes widened as I caught what just blurted out of my mind, and I looked up with a horrified expression at Robin Goodfellow before turning away, quickly getting out of his grasp before miraculously jumping over the bushes and hurrying away, Puck's voice behind me wanting me to hold on. But I couldn't. I have to marry Sage and I just told Puck that I like him. I bet tomorrow is going to get even better, with the Unseelie court here for Elysium.

_*The Next Day*_

I looked at myself in the mirror, with the clothes for Elysium, which was minutes away, on. The previous day, I didn't see much of Puck after the little... mistake that I did. Also, Mother told everyone to behave at Elysium so that no wars would break out during a time where they were supposed to be peaceful. I grabbed a small emerald bag that I could use for running away, full with food, clothes, and some other stuff I could use out in the wilderness. Why? Just in case the marrying thing was going to be today and I can escape and hide away for a while before they completely forget about the marriage and I can return. I turned so I could walk down to where Elysium was going to take place, but as I did the door opened and in came _he_. (Puck.) He was wearing a kind of formal clothing, for once- nice, black pants, a white shirt, and a black tuxedo to cover. He checked out my outfit more visibly than I did- a.k.a. his head followed his eyes- as he smiled.

"You're beautiful," he told me and I smiled.

"Not so bad yourself," I remarked, walking past him to leave for Elysium.

"Hey, not going to do the weird thing that dates do when they're going to a ball?" He whined from behind me and I turned with an amused expression, on the inside still shaken up by what I heard and said yesterday.

"Well, you never really asked me to Elysium, so I believe that will be a no," I responded, but before I could turn, he bowed, his left arm behind him as he held out his right hand for me, asking,

"Would you like to go to Elysium with me, Princess Ethel of the Summer court?" I chuckled a bit, but took his hand and he released my hand, weaving his arm around mine in a weird fashion, but I played along and we walked down to Elysium.


	5. Chapter 5

When Puck and I arrived at Elysium, all eyes went on us, some questioning,- they probably thought Puck was still supposed to be caged. Guess not, people!- some respectful. I felt Puck leave my side and I walked towards Mother and King Oberon, bowing in curtsy but staying in the bow, my left arm loose at my side, my right wrapped around my stomach. "The Court welcomes Princess Ethel," Oberon proclaimed and I stood up straight again, under everyone's (Meghan was there, too, by the way) gaze.

"I am honored to be in the Courts' presence," I repeat what I have always said these past years and Oberon nodded, Titania showing me the usual seat- the seat at her side. I took my place and leaned back comfortably, waiting for the people of the icy lands to come. A few moments later, they came.

The music stopped and loud trumpeting sounds could be heard throughout the whole, voice-silent, room, as all the Winter fey poured in, 'Her Majesty, Queen Mab' getting a formal greeting, her sons behind her. They sat across from us, Sage right across from me, and they chatted among themselves as Meghan and I stayed as non-chatty as possible. Well, until Sage started talking to me. Which was about 3 hours later, after all the entertainments have passed. "Has Titania or Oberon told you about...?" he asked me, and I nodded, my arms now leaning against the table, my body closer to it. Sage did the same as he smiled softly.

"Don't tell me this was because you were purely bored and just wanted a wife and decided on me. It's illegal, anyway!" I hissed at him.

"No, yes, and I know- but I gave them _tons _of reasons."

"Which would include?" my eyebrow cracked upwards.

"I have an undying feeling in my heart for you," Sage smiled wider and I gave him a look of disbelief.

"It's true," his brother, Rowan, chimed in from beside Sage and Sage nudged his brother in the side while still smiling at me. "Ow! What did I do?" Sage sighed, turning to his brother.

"Well, Rowan, maybe you should just be... a bit quieter?" Sage offered, amused, and Rowan humphed, leaning back in his seat with his arms crossed. Sage turned back to me and resumed the smiling. "So, Ethel."

"What would you like, Sage?" I sighed.

"A dance," he smirked and I sighed in relief that it wasn't something like my first child- now that I think about it, he is going to have my first child anyway.

"If you tell me how the _heck _you were able to make Summer and Winter marry," I bargained and Sage sighed.

"Must everything be a bargain?"

"No. But you're still going to have to tell me how. I'm not going to be marrying a guy who won't tell me how the parents could agree in making their children marry." Sage laughed and the three rulers turned to see what was happening as Sage and I stood, meeting at the end of the table.

"Now then," Sage whispered in my ear as another song started, "dance with me." And he took me through twirls and slow turns and all the other stuff dancing makes you do. In the midst, though, I almost lost my concentration when Sage told me that a certain someone was watching me. I looked around as we circled and saw Puck glaring at Sage. I sadly looked away, hoping that I could have one last dance with him before something happens that will rip us apart.

_*After Chimera Happens :D*_

Puck and I could be found in front of Oberon, both kneeling, after he had ushered us over. "Meghan has disappeared," he told us, "and I'm sending you two to find her. My guards have already checked the perimeter, but they found no sign of her." We nodded.

"Anything else, my lord?" I asked.

"You are still a fiance to Sage. Remember that," Oberon warned me, and I stood still for a moment before slowly nodding in understanding. "That is all." We both stood and I followed Puck, knowing he had a plan, but he stopped outside of some trees and bushes and faced me.

"Do you not like me anymore? Do you actually want to be with Sage? Do you-"

"No, Puck," I sighed, crossing my arms. "Sage actually seems like a nice guy, but-"

"He's from Winter-"

"LISTEN TO ME!" I bellowed and Puck brought up his hands in slight defeat. "As I was saying, Sage seems like a nice guy, but- well... now you made me think about what I was about to say," I turned away, my face heating up.

"No, you tell me to listen so I'm going to listen, Ethel," Puck came closer to me, bit by bit.

"Haha, no," I turned around. "It's really stupid."

"Tell meee," Puck whined, winding his arms around me. I relaxed against them, softly putting my back against his chest.

I hesitated before I finally blurted out, "Sage seems like a nice guy, but my heart will always belong to you." Puck then turned me around quickly, pulling me into a free part of the trees where we won't be seen but we also won't be touched by plants that much as he brought his lips to mine, hugging me close. Fireworks exploded everywhere and I decided to enjoy this moment before it has to go.


	6. Chapter 6

I was running quickly to Blue Chaos, Puck as a bird above me, as my figure was wrapped in a blank illusion. (Which was making me invisible.) We found the LOOOOONG line of people wanting to enter the club and I ran past, trying hard not to touch anyone or to come even close. I saw Puck fly over everyone's heads before he entered and we both ran to the back where we knew Shard kept the trod to Winter. As we kept coming closer, we could hear more and more noise coming from the room, and I guessed that something angered the ogre or whatever Shard was keeping prisoner. As we stepped in- well, he flew in and I stepped in- we saw a redcap being squashed. Puck went right into the midst of battle- as usual- before changing back and talking to Meghan for a second, and I ran along the wall to keep away from the fighting so I would be able to get to Meghan. She spotted me and I started to run quicker, ducking and jumping high to dodge any attacks that came towards me. When I arrived at her side, I took out a blade of Summer- a sword with embellishments of Summer and which can use fire like the Winter does (except they're ice). I sliced heads off redcaps who decided to come near or attack with a millisecond of hesitation. "I know I probably shouldn't be saying this, but thanks," Meghan breathed to me, and I nodded.

"I won't put you in my debt," I replied quickly before slicing another redcap's head from its shoulders. I saw a blow incoming from the ogre and I pushed her away from the blow, dodging.

"Grumly!" Meghan desperately shouted to the ogre, and he glanced over. "Look at me! Listen to me!" He stopped doing his little jig and turned his gaze of torment to Meghan. "Help us!" She cried, "Help us, Grumly, and we'll set you free! We'll set you free!"

"Free...me?" He gaped as I saw Shard knock Meghan over from behind as she shouted a no. But at that point, Grumly roared in protest and whacked her away from Meghan, the key around her neck falling down towards me. Meghan scrambled to her feet and I touched her shoulder as I picked up the key.

"I'll do the chains," I told Meghan, "you stay out of trouble." And I quickly ran to the ogre, going to the iron manacle that was around his foot, and carefully put the key in as not to let myself touch the iron and turned it until it clicked, and the manacle fell right beside me. I sighed in relief as the ogre roared in triumph and rage. I quickly dove away, running back to where Meghan was, joined by Puck.

"Let's go," Puck told us, "while everyone's distracted."

"What about Grimalkin?"

"I am here," the cait sith answered beside her before we ran for the trod, but found the way guarded by Shard.

"No," the sidhe growled, her left arm limp, the other hand holding an ice spear which was angled at Meghan's chest. "You will not pass. You will die here, and I will nail you to the wall for everyone to see." You could hear Grumly coming closer because of the shake he made to the floor and how loud his steps were. "Grumly," Shard said without taking her eyes away from Meghan, "kill them. All is forgiven. Rip them apart, slowly. Do it, now." You could hear Grumly growl as a thick leg landed beside Meghan as I hid her behind me in protection.

"Frrriends," he grumbled. "Free Grumly. Grumly's friends." He took another step towards Shard, the pained part of his leg smelling like rot and gangrene. "Kill mistress," he added and Shard started to protest in shock.

"Let's go," Puck whispered and we all ducked under Grumly's legs and sprinted for the trod. I saw Meghan look back, but I didn't dare, horrified at what I would see.

_*Afterwards...*_

A corridor stretched in front of us and Meghan sat against a wall, her adrenaline wearing off. "You alright, princess?" he asked Meghan and I almost answered, but I saw him in front of Meghan and I scoffed, looking away. He didn't notice, I guess, as they hugged each other. When they pulled away, Meghan pulled him down against the wall as I leaned against the opposite, my head down and my eyes closed, my arms crossed. I shut out their conversation, not wanting to hear anything. But at one point, my ears came back, and I heard what Meghan said: "But... you won't, right?" She stammered. She looked at only Puck, and my nerves almost snapped. "Puck, you can't. I have to find Ethan. I have to go to the Unseelie Court and bring him home." Puck raked his hand through his hair and I let out a very low rumble of annoy.

"If he doesn't, I will," I snapped, and all eyes came to me. "Oberon and Mother are already pissed off with the chimera let loose at Elysium, and I bet they want me to be there as soon as possible so that stupid wedding can come to be. But, I can't come back without you or I may be destroyed."

"You sound like you want to be with Sage," Puck accused me again.

"I just want to get the whole thing over with. Things like these are better to do sooner than later."

"Well, you realize you'll have to drag me back kicking and screaming, and I'll never talk to you ever again," Meghan warned me.

"I can just turn you into a bird and stick you into a cage like I did Puck, and I don't freaking care if I talk to you or not. Mother told me to hate you, even," I sighed. "Also, if you do go and Mab finds you... you'll be a nice statue in her courtyard," I added in warning.

"But my brother is still out there!" Meghan shouted, "I don't care if I get your help or not, but I'm getting him back." I let out a strange string of curses (like the bad words, not curses) under my breath in slight defeat.

"You won't be doing anything, Princess Ethel," Grimalkin warned. "Besides, I have something that might be able to help."

"Help in what way?" I snapped, my eyes closed again and my head hanging.

"A favor from the king," the feline said, ignoring my question.

"That won't stop him from banishing us," Puck pointed out.

"Oh great," I groaned under my breath.

"No," the cat agreed, "it won't. But I can request for you and the girl to be banished for a limited time. A few decades or so. Better than nothing."

"Uh-huh. And this would just cost us a small favor in return?" Puck sounded unconvinced, which I was looking forward to.

"You pulled me into this the moment you dropped the girl into my tree," Grimalkin pointed out, "I cannot believe that was an act of coincidence, at least from the infamous Robin Goodfellow. You should've known it would come out like this."

"I know better than to make deals with a cait sith." Finally, Puck sighed, scrubbing his eyes. "Fine. Freedom is highly overrated, anyway. If I'm gonna do something, I might as well do it big." I froze and looked up at Puck with a glare.

"So, you'll help us?" Meghan asked suspiciously but happily.

"Sure, why not? Unless Ethel disagrees..." Puck added, looking over at me slowly. I glared at him for a few minutes before looking down in anger.

"Why do decisions like these happen to be so _hard_?" I whined, pushing myself off the wall. "Fine, I'll help you guys. But-" Puck sent me a warning glare, and I sighed. "Whatever. At least storming the Unseelie Court seems fun."

"Then let us go," Grim said, "the longer we stay here, the faster word will spread about our intentions." I nodded, turning and helping Meghan and Puck up.

We followed the hallway from a while, the air turning a bit frosty as we approached the Winter grounds.

"We are getting close," Grim's disembodied voice told us from the mists of Winter decor.

The hallway ended with a simple wooden door. It was surrounded by snow and it creaked from the wind that howled outside. "Ladies and felines," Puck stated grandly, grabbing the doorknob and opening the door, "welcome to Tir Na Nog. Land of endless winter and shitloads of snow." I chuckled as I walked past, walking into a frozen garden with snow all over my face from the wind. Everyone looked around and Puck commented in distaste, "Charming. I love the barren, dead feel they're going for, don't you? I wonder who the gardener is- I'd love to get some tips." I smiled in amusement but quickly hid it, wanting to get some practice with no emotion just in case we come along some winter guards.

You could hear Meghan shivering as she asked, "H-how far are we from Queen Mab's court?"

"Maybe two days' walk," Grim answered, leaning against a tree stump and sitting with care. "We should find shelter. I am uncomfortable and the girl is most likely to freeze to death."

I was looking around and I spotted someone from the trees, and he spat out a dark chuckle. "I wouldn't worry about that now." He came out, his sword loose in one of his hands. I quickly drew mine as I saw my brother-to-be: Ash. Grimalkin hissed and disappeared and Puck shoved Meghan behind him as Ash came closer. "I've been waiting for you."


	7. Chapter 7

**I keep forgetting to say that most of these words and Ethel (and whatever else I'm gonna add) are mine, the rest is done by Julie Kagawa, and I, by no means, own what she wrote. So... yeah :D**

I heard Ash's name whispered by Meghan and spoken in a conversational tone from Puck. "What a surprise," Puck continued, "How did you find us?"

"It wasn't difficult," Ash said, sounding bored. "The princess mentioned that she was looking for someone in Mab's court. There are only so many ways into Tir Na Nog from the mortal world, and Shard doesn't exactly make it a secret that she guards the trod. I figured it was only a matter of time before you came here."

"Clever," Puck said, smirking. "But then, you were always the strategist, weren't you? What do you want, Ash?"

"Your head," he answered softly, "on a pike. But that's not what I came here for." He raised his sword to point to Meghan. "I came for her." I heard her gasp and I came to stand in front of her.

"Over my dead body," Puck and I said in unison, though I had a cold expression on while Puck smiled as if it was a comfortable conversation he was having. I heard Meghan chattering from behind me and I took my bag off, giving it to her.

"There are some jackets and stuff in there," I told her quietly, "you can wear them if you wish."

"That was the plan. Except for Ethel. I highly doubt Sage would like me killing his fiance," he said, giving me a knowing look. "But I will avenge her death today, and put her to rest."

"Puck didn't kill her, Ash. He had no way of knowing what was in there!" I pointed out to Ash.

"But she died because of him."

"And you, as far as Rowan's concerned," I snapped and a look of anguish went over his eyes. But he closed his eyes, and when they re-opened, they were cold and full of malice.

"Prepare yourself, Goodfellow."

"Take care of her, Ethel," Puck told me, pushing us away. He reached into his boot, pulling out a dagger, the blade clear as glass. "This might get rough."

"Puck, no," Meghan tried, "Don't fight him. Someone could die."

"Duels to the death tend to end that way," Puck grinned, but it was deadly. "I'm touched you care. One second, princeling!" As Puck grabbed Meghan's hand and led her behind a fountain, Ash raised one of his eyebrows but didn't approach. I saw their lips moving, but, sadly, I can't read lips, so I couldn't make out what they were saying. At one point, I was tired of watching them, and at the same exact time, Ash pulled away my attention.

"So, you like the engagement with Sage? A once-in-a-millennium thing," He said to me.

"Well, it was unexpected. At least it was him and not either of you," I teased, but Ash didn't laugh or whatever. "Oh, come on, Ash, lift your spirits up!"

"You hurt my feelings," Ash pointed out.

"I was joking, jeez, prince," I smiled, and I saw a tiny twitch going upwards in the corner of his mouth. "There it is! Now make it bigger! BIGGER!" I laughed like a maniac. When he didn't, I plopped down on the garden and pouted. "Living in Winter is going to be boring," I grumbled. I looked back up at Ash and saw a smile disappearing.

"Sage is actually sometimes fun to be with," Ash pointed out.

"_Sometimes_?" I grinned.

"He can be boring sometimes, just doing what Mab wants him to, like a little loyal dog."

"Isn't that what all Winter princes do?" My eyebrow rose.

"I'm usually in the wyldwood," he defied, "not at court."

"Well then." I sighed, standing up. "Wanna fight?"

"Sure- I could get used to your moves." And our swords were out, one of Summer, one of Winter. I attacked first, just a normal blow people do with swords, but he, as I expected, repelled it easily. When the collision occurred, a large plant rose, but was frosted immediately by Ash's sword. He lifted his sword and swung it down, and instead of colliding the swords again, I dodged backward quickly and swung my own, which almost hit him in the head but he dodged, to my dismay.

"Aww, so close," I commented as I clanged my sword against his when he attacked, and finally Puck reacted.

"Hey, prince!" he shouted to get Ash's attention right as our swords met. We sighed, me adding a roll in the eyes, and we both turned to Puck.

"Yes, Goodfellow?"

"I thought you said you weren't going to be killing Ethel!"

"This is a friendly fight between soon-to-be sister and brother," I cut in, and Puck sent me a small glare before looking to Ash.

"She asked for it," Ash pointed out and I grinned mischievously at him.

"And we're not done yet." I dodged back, bringing my sword with me, the white rose of frost dropping to the floor without me to hold it up with Ash. A small smile escaped as he ran for me. I smirked, standing right in front of a tree right before Ash got there, diving to the side when Ash swung his sword so that it got stuck in the tree. Icicles erupted around the tree and I marveled. "Now that's Winter beauty," I commented before I brought a dagger, which was hiding in my sleeve, up behind my sword as to make myself even more defended, since two blades were protecting me, and a huge eruption came from our blades clashing, a ton of colorful flowers coming from my blade, then getting encased in ice from Ash. I grinned and dodged backwards, now leaning against my knees in tiredness. "Okay, Ash, that's enough," I breathed with a smile. "That's enough white roses in the garden to make the gardener upset."

"How did you even _make _them?" Puck asked me, and I shrugged.

"Sheer awesomeness," I guessed with a smile, and a wave of sadness washed over his features, probably because of me, but it quickly escaped.

"My turn," Puck grinned evilly, pouncing on Ash.

_*About 30 minutes later...*_

There was ALOT of clashing, but guess what happened? No roses. Aww. And I was looking forward to more beauty in the barren garden. "Run!" I suddenly heard a disembodied voice shout at us, "Something's coming! Hide, quickly!" Rustling, accompanied by high-pitched laughter that was static and faint. Suddenly, hundreds electric-green eyes popped out of the darkness, surrounding us. Ash and Puck finally stopped fighting, finally realizing something is wrong, but it was too late. They poured out from everywhere- small black-skinned creatures with spindly arms, giant ears, and razor grins that shone blue-white. The creatures spotted Meghan, and I quickly came in front of her in defense when neither of the boys (Grimalkin climbed up a tree) could, and the evil creatures surrounded us, crawling onto us. The smell and feel of iron quickly overtook me and I tried to kill them away, but when one group was dead, more came in quickly. Claws started sinking into my skin and I screamed in unison with Meghan, who seemed to be having a bit less hard time than I. In the midst, I always held Meghan's hand, so that just in case she got carried away, I could at least try to stay and protect her. Why? If Oberon found out that I did nothing to try and protect his daughter, he would surely kill me. And I actually care for people. Meghan started to cry for Puck and Grimalkin, but I knew they couldn't help, since I could barely. I almost threw up on the creatures, and regret that I didn't just a few minutes later. The creatures then started carrying us away, and I could do nothing, since I was on the verge of unconsciousness.

"Hold my hand until we get there, Meghan," I whispered to her before everything went dark.


	8. Chapter 8

I awoke what felt like two minutes later, but which was actually probably two hundred and sixty or so, I guessed, when Meghan shook my body to wake me. I opened my eyes as a metallic voice boomed, "HAVE YOU BROUGHT HER?" I jumped up to see cave walls and some wagons filled with what looked like coal and the creatures. Some icicles from the roof fell and shattered in almost a musical tune, and I saw Meghan duck behind an ice column as heavy footsteps clanked down the tunnel. I waved away the irony (with iron, not in irony) air from my face, getting sick again, and I made out a huge black horse that stood in front of me. His eyes glowed with what looked like hot coal, flared nostrils blowing out steam. As the horse moved awkwardly, I started to cough again, the smell of iron stronger since he was really close to me. The horse turned his head to me, steam coming out of its nostrils. "ARE YOU MEGHAN CHASE?" it asked with the same booming voice and more icicles fell to their death.

"No, iron horse, so go away. The stench of iron is killing me," I coughed out and the horse flared his nostrils.

"HOW DO YOU KNOW MY NAME, FEY?" it asked.

"I do not know your name, horse of iron, so leave me alone." I started to slide backwards, remembering about Meghan and wanting to hide her.

"WHY DO YOU SLIDE BACKWARDS?" it questioned.

"I'm trying to get at least a little comfort and it's not really comfortable being around you," I slightly lied, though it was true.

"WHO IS THE FEMALE BEHIND YOU?" it demanded and I cursed under my breath.

"...Meghan Chase," she answered for me quietly. "Who are you? What do you want?"

"I AM IRONHORSE," the iron horse replied.

"Oh," I chuckled lightly.

Ironhorse continued, "ONE OF KING MACHINA'S LIEUTENANTS. I HAVE BROUGHT YOU HERE BECAUSE MY LORD HAS REQUESTED IT. YOU WILL COME WITH ME AND SEE THE IRON KING. THE LIAR, TOO. I'M SURE-"

"That was actually true," I chocked, the iron finally taking a bigger toll on my health.

"Who's the Iron King?" Meghan asked from behind me.

"KING MACHINA," Ironhorse confirmed. "SOVEREIGN LORD OF THE IRON COURT, AND RULER OF THE IRON FEY."

"Are the beasts that took us here iron fey, too?" I snapped quietly.

"YES."

"What does he want with me?" Meghan asked.

"IT IS NOT MINE TO KNOW. I ONLY OBEY. HOWEVER, YOU WOULD BE WISE TO COME WITH US, IF YOU WISH TO SEE YOUR BROTHER AGAIN." I suddenly fell backwards in weakness and heard Meghan's two gasps, one for her brother and one for me right before everything went black again.

*_A bit later...*_

First thing I felt was comfort. My head was resting against a pillow, a blanket over my body, a mattress under me. I rolled over and was about to fall back asleep, but then remembered Meghan and Ironhorse as my eyes opened and I jumped up. I looked around, seeing a simple room, walls dark blue, shades drawn, white covers on the bed I was sleeping on, a wooden desk. I sighed, pulling the covers off and looking around for my bag of useful stuff, which was sitting on the chair next to the desk, a bit tattered but still useful. I looked inside and found my long blue trench coat and pulled it out, slipping it on and exiting. I was met by a long hallway. I looked around and decided to inquire further about where everything was. I went to my right, which was where I guessed all the important stuff- like the dining room or whatever- was, and was right. I saw a long table filled with food and stuff, Grimalkin eating food from a bowl, and Puck and Meghan talking. I ignored Puck as I came in and he ignored me as he talked to Grim. "And how is it _you _remember her?" he asked him.

"I am a cat," he purred. "And, by the way, the princess has come back from her sleep."

"Shut up, Grimalkin," I snapped, sitting down in front of Meghan, "you weren't exposed to iron as much as I was. I was in a cave full of iron, but guess who comes out? A HUGE horse made of iron, ironically named Ironhorse. But yes, I had enough sleep for about one week," I sighed.

"You didn't sleep that long," Meghan pointed out.

"It feels like I've slept for a week," I retaliated, going to grab a muffin but my hand started to burn. I hissed in pain and looked at it, and noticed that I had a lot of burn marks on it. Puck started to chuckle in nervousness a bit and I looked up to glare at him. "Robin Goodfellow, if you tell me that you took my hand and made me touch Ironhorse during my sleep, then I will turn you into a bird, cage you, and actually not take you out until you will die of boredom," I growled.

"No," Puck raked a hand through his hair. "Ice-boy was really stubborn with helping Meghan and not you, and so I had to grab you at the last minute, and Ironhorse was on my tail, and your hand flew towards him and you touched his muzzle, okay?" I pictured that all in my head, and then just one question came to my mind-

"How did you guys find us?"

"You left a huge trail of blood," Puck noted, and my eyes widened.

"Seriously? Ugh, if I ever see those evil things again..." I grumbled, using my other hand to get the muffin I wanted. "Now. Anyone have anything exciting to tell me, other than the fact that my hand is burnt by iron?"

"I have a question," Meghan piped up. "Who's Sage?" I froze, and I took a quick glance at Puck, who I saw freeze too.

I hesitated for just a second before answering, "He's Ash's oldest brother. Why?"

"Oh... um... I... er... I heard you talking about it with Ash before your duel. Why were you talking about his brother?"

I hesitated for a small while before taking a breath in before ending, "We're engaged."

"Aww!" She cried out happily, and I smiled in relief. "How?" The smile fell quickly and Puck stood from his seat abruptly, leaving the room. I hesitated for the third time.

"Mother and Mab arranged it. It's technically illegal and they would banish us or make us vow not to see each other again if they found out, but somehow they put us together, and Sage decided that he really liked me or something so he decided to give them more reasons to let him marry me. I was told the day before Elysium." Meghan sat silently, probably trying to think of more questions, and her eyes lit up in finding.

"Why did Puck leave when I asked you how you got engaged?" she asked, and I looked down, taking another bite of my muffin. I stayed silent, trying to think of a good answer, but I couldn't. So I went for the parent-ish approach.

"You'll learn in good time."


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello, people! Just a small note (: Well, I have been enjoying writing this story, and (just in case you wonder when...) I will (usually) be updating everyday, like, two to three times! So, you should either read in between or skip two days and read a ton or something! But yeah (: THANK YOU SO MUCH for being awesome :D**

I awoke when a weight made my mattress jump a bit from the pressure, and I slowly, tiredly, opened my eyes to Puck, who was smiling softly. "I thought you said you had enough sleep for about a week?" He reminded me.

"Well, just in case I had to be awake for two, I'm sleeping more. Is there a bad thing about sleeping?"

"Well, yeah, you don't talk to me. I mean, you mutter something once in a while when you sleep, but it has nothing to do with what I was trying to say to you." My cheeks reddened.

"I talk in my sleep?"

"Once in a while," he reminded. "But anyway, I just wanted to see if you wanted to do something. I'm bored." I brushed the shade away from the window and saw that it was dark outside.

"Why aren't you sleeping?" I asked, turning back to him, "It's the middle of the night."

"I don't feel like sleeping. And I wanted to spend some time with you."

"You're acting like you won't be able to ever after our quest is fin-" then the memories of my marriage came back and I went silent. "...Oh."

"Well, if you want to sleep-" I cut him off with a small yawn, which was agreeing with him, "-then you owe me a kiss."

"Puck, please," I whimpered as he came closer to me. "We both know we shouldn't be doing this."

"Nobody will know," Puck whispered, his body as close as he wants it to be, so he started to caress my arms as they slowly went to wrap around me.

"You'll make the wedding impossible," I whispered, and he smirked, his lips inches from mine. His eyes looked straight at mine, and he simply said,

"Then the wedding won't happen and you'll be mine." And our lips met, the fireworks coming back.

A few moments later, he pulled away and smiled. "See? It's not that hard."

"What about Meghan?" I looked away and his arms tensed around me. "I know you have something for her. I... am not able to do this. She's not being pulled away by a rope of unfair engagement. Puck, please," I added as he brought me to his lap, "I'm-"

"How about we just forget everything," Puck whispered in my ear, "and enjoy as much of this moment as we can. Okay?" I hesitated, but when I looked straight into those pleading eyes, I couldn't help but nod slightly and bring my lips up to meet his.

_*The next morning...*_

I yawned loudly, sitting up and stretching, but a second later, a hand pulled me back down to the bed. "Good morning, Robin," I greeted slightly happily as I laid a hand on his cheek, rubbing it softly. His beautiful emerald eyes revealed themselves and he wrapped his arms around me, bringing me in closer, yawning even louder than I did. "Keep it down, or someone will figure out you're in here," I hissed, though amused.

"So?" he asked, and I rose my eyebrow.

"Marriage, remember?" Puck sighed, looking away.

"You speak that word once more and I swear, I'm gonna storm on Mab and Titania and force them to stop the wedding." I chuckled.

"I bet you would," I whispered, snaking my own arms around him.

A few minutes later, the door creaked open and a certain annoying voice spoke, "Come on, Romeo and Juliet, breakfast is ready." (Thank you to xX Blood-Bond Xx for unknowingly giving me the idea of Romeo and Juliet :D)

I jumped up and looked down at the feline. "How did you know he was in here?" I asked.

"He wasn't in his room and you could see him _right there_," Grimalkin pointed out and I pouted.

"Why couldn't you, like, leave a note that said 'Out for a walk' or something, Puck?" I whined as he propped himself up.

"Because I wasn't going for a walk," he mentioned and I groaned.

"Come on," I sighed, getting out of the bed and following the cat as I fixed my clothes up as much as I could, Puck behind me, carrying a bowl of summerpods. I decided to dismiss it as I walked into the dining room, where I saw the awkwardness of Meghan's and Ash's conversation, even though they weren't speaking.

"Mornin', princess," Puck said, popping a summerpod into his mouth and putting the basket on the table, "Look what I found."

"Are you raiding the cellars now, Goodfellow?" Ash blinked.

"Me? Stealing?" Puck smirked, popping another summerpod into his mouth. "In the house of my ancient enemy? What gave you that idea?" He popped yet another summerpod and then threw one to Meghan. He smiled at me slightly, holding out the basket to me. I smiled the same way and took one, taking a small bite, knowing the effects. A small warmth filled my body when I swallowed, and I pondered whether I should have the whole fruit or just another bite. I settled with another bite- it'll last longer. I'm only getting one fruit.

I spotted Grimalkin on the table, sniffing the basket Puck put down again. "Summerpod," he stated the obvious, wrapping his tail around himself, "I didn't know they grew in Winter territories. Better not eat many of those. They make faery wine out of them," he added, looking at Meghan with a serious expression. "Your human side won't take it well."

"Oh, let her try one," Puck snorted, rolling his eyes. "She's been in Faery long enough. It won't turn her into a rat or anything."

"Where are we going?" Ash asked out of the blue, sounding bored, "Did you manage to come up with a plan, or are we going to paint targets on our backs and wander in circles until he notices?"

"You're awfully eager to help," Puck noted, leaning against the table, his body facing me while he was looking at me. I leaned against the wall across him, my arms crossed, looking at them between their conversation.

"Your princess and I agreed on a bargain," he said. "I agreed to help her to find the Iron King, though I won't bore you with the details. While I uphold my end of the contract, it did not involve you in any way. I only promised to help her."

"Which means we can duel at anytime we want."

"Exactly."

"Well, why wait?" Puck grinned. "We could step outside right now, Your Highness, and we can get this over with."

Grimalkin sighed loudly as I grinned, looking at Meghan with the whole basket of summerpods in her lap, popping one in every five seconds. "You might want to look to Meghan instead of babbling about fighting," I chuckled, almost laughing completely, and Puck looked to her. His eyes widened as he ran over to her, saying, "Princess!" He took the bowl from her tugging fingers. "You're not supposed to... Not all of them... How many of those did you eat?"

"How very like you, Puck," a hint of amusement could be sensed from Ash, "Offer them a taste of faery wine and act surprised when they're consumed by it." I chuckled at the same time Meghan broke into hysterical giggles which led to full out laughing and falling, still in hysterical laughter. I saw Ash catch Meghan, letting out an exasperated sigh, and I broke out into my own giggles, but I stopped myself, unlike Meghan. "What are you doing, Ash?" Puck asked suspiciously.

"I'm taking her back to her room," Ash explained. I saw Meghan sigh and snuggle into his arms, and grinned with knowledge. "She''l have to sleep off the effects of the fruit. We'll likely be here another day because of your idiocy."

"Yay!" Robin cheered over-dramatically, giving me a wink, but I looked away, guilty of my- and his- actions.

_*That night...*_

I sighed, sitting and leaning against the bed post, the covers warming me, my eyes unable to close in rest. I looked up at the roof in boredom, waiting for the night to end, when the door yawned, creaking under pressure. I looked to the door and saw Puck come in, closing the door as 'quietly.' "What are you doing, Puck?" I sighed. He looked over his right shoulder, smirking at me, and he turned around, walking over and sitting on the edge of my bed.

"How about we finish what we were doing last night?" He suggested, and I rolled my eyes slightly.

"Puck, you know we shouldn't be doing this, so why do you force me?" I asked, looking him straight in the eyes with a sad expression. A flash of hurt danced in his eyes, but didn't go away.

He looked away, placing his hand on mine. "Because this might be the last time I am able to be with you like this," he whispered to me, looking back, and I looked away guiltily.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, "that this marriage has to come to be. I swear, if I had never heard about the espousal, I would-"

"Then act like you never heard about it," he ordered, putting his free hand on my cheek and turning my head to make me look in his eyes. "Act like you would if you never had to marry Sage." And he brought me to his lap, kissing me passionately.

**I believe that will be all for this story with them making out during the night, since my stomach is getting sick of all the lovey-dovey feelings it's getting from me writing this and I don't think they'll have any more opportunities. There will most likely be a sequel after, like, eight more chapters, exclude this chapter, where they might be able to be together, but my mind hasn't gone that far into the story xD so... yeah. Thanks SOOO much for reading my story!**


	10. Chapter 10

We walked down a narrow, ice-slick trail, the manor of guilty doings, or Chillsorrow manor, growing smaller with distance. I was wearing my long trench coat, which was keeping me perfectly warm, some blue leather gloves, black boots, boot-cut dark blue jeans, and a decorated shirt that had an huge owl on it. I was also wearing some black cat earrings and a key necklace. (The key won't open real life locks.) I followed the group, Ash a bit ahead, Puck entertaining Meghan with jokes and useless chatter, Grimalkin disappearing every so often then coming back at some point with no explanation of where he was.

As we walked, the ice got slicker and slicker, and Puck managed to slip. I helped him up and he gave me a quick kiss on my lips when no one was looking. Then, Meghan slipped and Ash caught her. They stayed in that position for a moment, but then Ash parted, going forward again. I looked over at Puck and saw that he was glaring at the two and my heart got chipped just a bit. He ignored Meghan from then on and focused more on me. I was happy, but I was still slightly hurt that he still cared for Meghan, especially right after... actually, let's not mention that. I'm guilty enough about everything.

At about late evening, Ash stopped us. "The Unseelie Court is not that far away. We should break from the road. Mab has others besides me looking for you, as well." _You _was probably Meghan.

As he finished, the snow around us started whirling madly and singing its tunes louder. I looked around, taking out my sword, but quickly, my whole body started suffocating and I could barely breathe. In about a minute, the chaos stopped, and I found myself completely encased in ice. I tried to look around, but all I saw was forward, where Meghan was only to her neck encased in ice, and where Ash wasn't even a foot in ice. Though it was muffled, I could kind of make out what was being said. "-, Ash!" I heard being said, though I could only make out _Ash_. I tried to move my lips just a fraction of a millimeter, but it didn't work, as Meghan continued, "I - deal!" By then, my lungs started to burn incredibly, and I tried to breathe any air that was in the ice, but that was impossible. Black stars flashed across my vision, and I marveled them- something to do before I suffocated and died, at least. A second later, everything went dark.

_*A few long moments later...* _

I slowly came back to consciousness, my eyes opening with trouble, my ears hearing everything. And my heart broke into two instead of chipping when I heard what Puck said. "I would've given everything for you, Meghan. Why didn't you think I'd be enough?" A tear started to fall down my cheek as I shook with cold, my arms trying but failing to go around myself- to keep myself warm, if only by a tenth of a degree, and to get myself together. _I guess marrying Sage won't be that bad, _I thought to myself as I tried to make my legs move up, so to make me into a ball. I heard a gasp, and a few seconds later, arms wrapped around me. I finally got my hands to move and I slightly pushed against Puck. "Go away," I chocked out shakily, "I don't want to hear another word out of you." And I wrapped myself into a ball as he set me back down on the welcoming snow. Icy leaves rustled and Meghan snapped,_  
_

"Do you have anything helpful to say, Grim?"

"Actually, yes," Grimalkin murmured. "I do have something you might be interested in." He was silent for a few heartbeats and I shakily sat up, losing my frail balance before sitting up fully, reaching for my bag. "I believe," he purred, stretching the words out, "I have found the trod you are looking for." I grabbed my bag, taking out some thicker gloves and a huge brown coat that got mildly soaked with ice. I put them on, trying and succeeding to stand. I shuddered in the midst and lost my balance, and saw Puck go to catch me but he held himself back as I put my leg forward, putting a double-gloved hand on the ground before pushing myself back up.

We followed Grimalking to the base of the base of ancient castle ruins, where random things lay scattered around the courtyard. Puck was trailing behind me- me being the third person (fourth life) in the line, Meghan in front of me, Ash in front of her, Grim in front of him- and once in a while, Puck sped up and seemed like he wanted to tell me something, but he would just keep a pace with me. I didn't care that much. I wouldn't care until a word would escape his mouth. I would, once in a while, shudder in the freezing cold, wrapping my arms around myself, but Puck made no move, though he looked at me, concerned.

"There," Grim said, nodding to a large stone pillar that was broken into two. One rested on the other, forming a small archway in the space between.

There also laid a body in front. A body that looked about twelve feet tall, covered in hides and furs I wanted to steal and wrap myself around, but I fought the urge, pleading that we wouldn't have to stay in Winter for much longer. The giant also had blue-white skin and a tangled white beard. It laid on its back, face looking away, hand closer to us wrapped around a stone club.

"That's right," Ash grimaced, "Mab leaves her pet giant here to guard the place. Cold Tom doesn't listen to anyone but the queen."

"You could've mentioned something, Grim. Did you forge that small but ever-so-important detail?" Meghan snapped, "Or did you just not see the twelve-foot giant in the middle of the floor?"

"Look's like it's Tom's nappy time," Puck piped up, giving me a look of anxiety, but I ignored him, so he continued, sighing in relief slightly. "Maybe we can sneak around him."

Grim looked at all of us, and my eyes widened when I thought I realized what had happened. "At times like these, I', even more grateful I am a cat." And he trotted towards Cold Tom's seemingly-lifeless body.

"Grim! Stop!" Meghan hissed. "What are you doing?"

"It's fine," I whispered to Meghan as I came up to her. "There might just be a small detail some of us aren't noticing." Grimalkin was, by then, on the giant's belly.

"Dead," he stated, the statement agreeing with what I was thinking, "Quite dead, actually. So you can stop cringing in abject horror if you like. I swear, how you survive with noses like that, I will never know. I could smell his stink a mile away."

"He's dead?" Ash asked incredulously. "Strange. Cold Tom was one of the strongest in his clan. How did he die?"

Grimalkin yawned. "Perhaps he ate something that disagreed with him." I saw Meghan edge forward slowly, suspiciously, as Ash had already gotten there, and as I walked forward with faith in Grim. As Meghan conversed with Ash, I looked at the giant with suspicion, and, just as Meghan came to my side, an iron spider crawled out of the giant's mouth. I screamed in fear and leaped back about five feet, falling backwards but not taking my eyes off the horrible creature. I saw Meghan to the same, and saw the two fey men come to our defense. Ash drew his sword when he spotted the insect, but Puck took a more horror-stricken approach- he picked up a big rock and flung it at the spider. It hit the spider with precision and the spider fell to its death, bringing up his legs in death like a normal spider. Puck helped me up, glaring at Ash when he helped Meghan up. I ignored Puck afterwards, drawing my own sword and coming closer to the lifeless bug, looking almost cracked in to. Meghan came up closer than I did and she picked it up. I retreated behind Ash in fear, knowing he wouldn't be disgusted of me. (Since, you know, I'm gonna be his sister soon?)

"What is that?" Ash muttered, sounding almost terrified, and he sneakily held out a hand to me. I grabbed it in fear, holding on tightly. "Another of Machina's iron fey?"

"It's a bug," Meghan whispered. We gave her puzzled frowns and she continued. "Ironhorse, gremlins, bugs- it's starting to make sense now." She turned to Puck, who blinked and stepped back. "Puck, didn't you tell me once that fey were born from the dreams of mortals?"

"...Yeah?" he answered, all of us still confused.

"Well, what if these things-" she held up the insect and I hid my head behind Ash in fear "-are born from different dreams? Dreams of technology and progress? Dreams of science? What if the pursuit of ideas that once seemed impossible- flight, steam engines, the Worldwide Web- gave birth to a completely different species of faery? Mankind has made huge leaps in technology over the past hundred years. And with each success, we keep reaching- dreaming- for more. These iron fey could be the result."

"Before we continue," my voice shook with fear, "could you _please _put the insect down?" She complied and I sighed in some relief, giving Ash's hand another tight squeeze before stepping away, letting his hand go. Ash let go just a bit hesitantly. "Okay, continue."

"Well, if that's true," Ash murmured, his eyes darkening in what looked like foreshadowing fear, (Fear of guessing what you think the future would look like with whatever happened.) "then all fey could be endangered. Not just the fey, though. All of the Nevernever would be affected, the entire world existence." I saw Puck nod.

"This is a war," he said seriously, locking gazes with Ash. "If the Iron King is killing the guardians of trods, he must be planning to invade. We have to find Machina and destroy him. Perhaps he's the heart of these iron fey. If we kill him, his followers would scatter."

"I agree." Ash sheathed his sword, giving the bug a revolted look. I sheathed my sword with suspicion at the bug also. "We will bring Meghan to the Iron Court and rescue her brother by killing the ruler of the iron fey."

"Bravo," said Grim, peering down from the giant's chest. "The Winter prince and Oberon's jester agreeing on something. The world must be ending." Everyone but I glared at him, me cracking a small smile, but I quickly hid it as the feline sneezed one of his laughs. He hopped off Cold Tom and looked at the spider on the floor. "Pick the insect up," he ordered to Meghan and I immediately retreated behind Ash again, gripping his shirt in fear. She did as commanded and the cat sniffed in distaste. "Interesting. That thing stinks of iron and steel, yet it doesn't burn you. I suppose being half-human has perks, after all."

"What do you mean?" Meghan asked.

"Mmm. Toss it to Ethel, would you?"

"NO!" I screamed, gripping Ash's arms really hard. "I am _not _going near that thing!"

Grim smiled and I peeked my head out, glaring at him.

"See? Even your sister, the mighty Summer Princess, cannot handle the touch of iron. I wonder how Ash would react."

"No!" He shouted, stepping back so that his back was against me as he put his hand on his sword handle.

"The mighty Winter prince cannot stand the touch of iron also. Should I go on?"

"No!" Puck took a few steps back.

"So, while all of them cannot stand iron, you can handle the bug with no ill effects. Now do you see why the courts are scrambling to find you? Think of Mab could do if you were under her control."

"Is that why Mab wants me?" Meghan asked, dropping the bug on the floor whilst looking at Ash. "As a weapon?"

"Ridiculous, isn't it?" Grim purred. "She can't even use glamour. She would be a horrible assasin."

"I don't know why Mab wants you," Ash slowly said, looking Meghan in the eyes, ignoring Grim's comment. "I don't question the orders of my queen. I only obey."

"And that's probably why you all are always so boring. Queen this, Queen that, blah blah blah," I muttered to Ash under my breath, and Ash let out a dark chuckle.

"It doesn't matter now," Puck broke in, giving us both a glare. "First, we have to find Machina and take him out. Then we'll decide matters from there." A hint of battle was in his voice, and I'm guessing that Meghan and I have something to do with it.

It seemed that Ash wanted to say something, but he kept quiet and nodded, and I finally retreated from his back. Grim yawned loudly and turned, walking towards the trod as he spoke to Meghan, "Human, do not leave the bug here when we leave. It might corrupt the land around it. You can dump it in your world and it will not matter."

I didn't walk until the bug was in Meghan's backpack, and I walked a bit behind them, stepping under the pillars. Everything went white instead of black. Good. Black was starting to tire me.


	11. Chapter 11

We all looked around and, with horror, found ourselves in the mouth of some huge thing, blunt teeth surrounding us and a red tongue under us. Meghan squeaked in terror and leaped out, tripping and falling on her stomach. I let out a little chuckle, walking out to see what we were in. When I stepped out, I looked up and saw a cartoon-looking blue whale with a wooden figure on top (Pinocchio), his smile and arm pointing into the distance frozen in place.

"'Scuse me, lady!" A little girl in pink overalls stepped over Meghan to rush into the whale's mouth, accompanied by her two friends.

"Interesting place," Puck commented as he pulled Meghan to her feet.

"Let us go," Grimalkin said, leaping onto a strange pink mushroom. The feline's tail bristled, his eyes darting about. "The oracle is not far, but we should worry."

"Why so nervous, Grim?" Puck drawled, gazing around the park. "I think we should stay, soak up the atmosphere." He grinned and waved at a small girl who was peeking at him from behind the cottage, and she ducked out of sight.

"There are too many kids here," Grimalkin said, glancing around nervously. "Too much imagination. They can see us, you know. Like we really are. And unlike the hob over there, I do not relish the attention."

We followed Grim's gaze and saw a short faery playing on some shoe with several children. He laughed and chased the kids around him, but the parents sitting around didn't seem to notice.

A boy of about three spotted us and came over, gaze on Grimalkin. "Kitty, kitty," he crooned, holding out both hands. Grim flattened his ears and hissed, making the boy jump back. "Beat it, kid," he hissed, and the boy ran to his parents, crying to them about a mean kitty, glancing up at us.

"It's definitely time to go," Puck said, striding away. We followed, the cat taking the lead. We left 'Storyland,' the name the park has, through a gate guarded by a weird egg (Humpty Dumpty) and a woman with a shepherd's cane (I think)(Little Bo Peep). All of us, excluding Meghan, in some way respected the great oak trees that were scattered in a park, moss and vines holding onto the trees.

After nearly an hour or so of walking, we reached some streets. We looked around at all the shops and buildings, listening to jazz music, and smelling some spiced up food that made me realize I was hungry.

"Gawk later," Grim poked Meghan in the shin with a claw. "We are not here to sight see. We have to get to the French Quarter. One of you, find us a way of transportation."

"Where exactly are we going?" Ash questioned as Puck flagged down a carriage pulled by a sleepy-looking red mule. The mule snorted at us, pinning his ears as we climbed in, but the driver smiled and nodded. Grimalkin decided to take the seat beside the driver. Or the front seat. Ash and I sat across from Puck and Meghan, Meghan and Ash across from each other, Puck and I across from each other. Oh, dear.

"The Historic Voodoo Museum," Grimalkin ordered to the driver, who seemed unfazed to be listening to a talking cat. "And step on it.

_*After the trip...*_

I wasn't sure what I had expected from a voodoo museum, but it sure wasn't a rickety building in the French Quarter. A pair of plain black doors stood at the entrance, beneath the overhang, and a humble wooden sign proclaimed the museum's name. The lights were on since the sky had gotten dark, and a sign on a window proclaimed the building closed. Grimalkin nodded to Puck, who muttered words under his breath and knocked on the door. It opened with a soft creak, allowing us to step inside.

The inside filled me with the warmth I had been missing at Winter territories. "So this is where they took the warmth," I noted jokingly, looking around until Puck closed the door, plunging us into darkness. I looked for a wall, but right as a small ball of light was summoned by Ash, I tripped over a piece of carpet, falling backwards into Puck, who fell with me in the domino effect. My cheeks reddened as he stood up with an amused grin, holding out his hand to help me up. I grabbed it and he helped me up, and we looked around to see what was happening. "This way," Grim's voice came from the beginning of a long hallway, and we followed him past it. We then walked into a room where there was a round table covered with a black tablecloth, four chairs standing around it.

"Why are there four chairs? There are five of us, and I hardly guess the oracle would think that Grimalkin would want to sit on someone's lap," I raised an eyebrow.

"Since you have such a demanding tone, I won't," Grimalkin commented, and I huffed.

"Whatever." And I went to lean against a wall. The other four went forward, and we all spotted a desiccated face from a pile of desiccated faces stir and float towards us. Meghan screamed and leaped behind Puck, and I narrowed my eyes, but then reminded myself that Puck doesn't like me. He was probably in it only for the pleasure.

"Hello, children," the hag breathed, her voice like sand through a pipe. "Come to visit old Anna, have you? Puck is here, and Grimalkin, as well. Ethel, too. What a pleasure." She gestured to the table. "Have a seat, please. I apologize, Ethel, but I didn't have enough chairs. Perhaps Grimalkin-"

"He already decided against it, but I'll be okay, oracle."


	12. Chapter 12

**I APOLOGIZE. The ending was how I wanted to be, but then I realized that it messes up the whole story, so I had to change it, and I deleted the chapter this was previously so that you wouldn't see the ending that messed it up. (It was that Ethel would get shot, but she doesn't revive until Ash gets Meghan halfway to Arcadia, and that messes up my plan, so... yeah). SORRY.**

I watched all of the voodoo happening, but I didn't really pay attention, thinking about what has been happening to me.

_Okay. One: At some point in life, I will be marrying the eldest Winter prince, Sage._

_Myself (Good): Puck has been very loving to Me._

_I (Bad): He has also kind of cheated on Me with Meghan. And no, I won't be marrying Sage. Me is doing it._

_Myself: But, those are just words, right?_

_Myself and I: ARGH!_

It seemed that the two sides teamed up on me, because I emitted that growl of frustration. Old Annie stopped talking and, like everyone else, looked up at me. "Oh... um... it's just... um... I saw a spider, and... um... just continue," I hung my head in embarrassment, cursing in my head at the two sides.

_Me: Why would you guys do that? And yes, I know that... 'Me' is doing it._

_Myself: *ignoring my question* But Puck has been paying a ton more attention._

_I: Like I said before, he kind of cheated on Me with Meghan._

_Me: Will you two just shut up so you would stop making me be in peril?  
_

_Myself: We just want to help you make a choice. Puck or Sage?_

I froze in thought. _Puck or Sage?_ It's kinda easy... but now that you think about it, no it's not. Ugh, why does this stuff have to be so confusing? I looked up, and saw that Puck was looking at me through the corner of his eyes. I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms, deciding to listen to what they're doing. "Where can I find Ethan?" Meghan asked the oracle, their hands clasped together. The hag opened her closed eyes and they burned with a flame, dark as void behind. Her mouth opened, going about, like, two feet, and sighed out,

_Within the iron mountain_

_a stolen child waits._

_A king no longer on his throne_

_shall guide you past the gates._

"Well, that's nice," Puck mumbled, rolling his eyes and leaning back in his chair, "I love riddles. And they rhyme so beautifully."

"Just listen," I whispered to him, and he looked back at me. I looked down as I saw his head turn.

"Ask where we can find the Iron King," Puck told Meghan as he turned back around, observing the two. Meghan repeated the question, and the hag repeated what she did before, but she voiced different words,

_In Blight's heart_

_a tower sings_

_upon whose thrones_

_sit Iron Kings._

"Blight," Puck nodded, "and singing towers. Well, this gets better and better and better." I rolled my eyes, sighing, and he turned to Ash. "Want to ask anything else, Prince?"

Ash was deep in thought. When he got a question, he rose his head and narrowed his eyes. "Ask her how we can kill him." I saw Meghan squirm, probably from the fact that she doesn't want to kill.

"Ash-"

"Just do it." Meghan swallowed and repeated the statement into a question, and the hag's mouth opened again.

_The King of Iron cannot be slain_

_by mortal man or fey._

_Seek out the Keepers of the trees._

_Their hearts will show the way._

The oracle then collapsed on the table, disintegrating into dust and ash, and I stood up fully, my arms falling limply to my sides. "Good. We're done. I don't like voodoo places. They make my head think."

"Is that a bad thing?" Ash asked me, and I rolled my eyes.

"I mean, like, you know how you're trying to get to a conclusion over something, and then the good side and the bad side start arguing? That's why I growled in anger a while ago. They started arguing like crazy and-"

"What were you fighting about?" Puck asked me and I gave him a glance.

"Nothing that concerns you."

_*A bit later...*_

We dashed for our lives towards who knows where, Virus and her little pack of reprogrammed humans on our tail. I wanted to turn around and freaking kill the whole lot, but what Meghan said was stuck in my head, and so I couldn't. "We're being mobbed by a whole bunch of _humans_," Ash growled, "I could just turn around and kill the whole lot."

"I wouldn't stop you, but did you notice the amount of iron they're carrying?" Puck informed, ducking to dodge a knife that he spotted coming towards him. "Of course, you can make a suicide attempt-"

"You boys stop babbling and _run_!" I shouted at them, right as a pipe hit Puck in the shoulder. He gasped and lost his balance but flew right back up and I waited for him to catch up with me. "You okay?" I asked him with concern, and he nodded.

"For now."

We kept on running until we got to a brightly lit square, and Puck and I immediately slowed our pace, knowing it will lower our chances of attraction, and we clasped our hands together. "When we get out of this mess, I will whack you in the head," I mumbled to him and he laughed quietly. I spotted, overhead, Virus searching for us, but then bent my head down a bit. "She's above us," I whispered to Puck, and he nodded, giving a glance up.

"I found you!" She sang, looking at us, and I cursed.

"If I say that she's above us, you don't freaking look up!" I shouted at Puck in slight amusement as we bolted towards Ash and Meghan, and Meghan was fighting with a police officer who was reprogrammed. I looked around and found that everyone was stumbling after us, looking like they wanted to rip our heads off.

"There's a carriage! Get to it!" Grimalkin shouted at us, bolting towards the carriage. Suddenly, there was a gun shot, and I looked behind to see a bullet coming towards Puck at light speed, but I wasn't quick enough to get behind Puck to protect him. He staggered and fell, twitching and crying out in agony, and I helped him up, putting his arm around my shoulders, holding onto his hand and wrapping my other hand around Puck as to help him.

"You- ow- are really- ow!- close to me- OW!" Puck told me and I just pulled him.

"We can fight when we get to the carriage, but I doubt you'll be able to," I told him, having more and more difficulty pulling him, since he was losing consciousness. Another shot blasted through the night and I pulled Puck to in front of me, waiting for the shot to come, but it hit where Puck was just a second ago, and I sighed in relief.

"Come on!" Ash shouted to us and I sprinted, pulling Puck with me. I hauled him into the carriage and laid him down across the bench I was sitting on, laying his head on my lap. Ash made the horses go, and we sped through the night, me playing with Puck's hair softly.

"We have to get to the dryads," I whimpered, noticing that Puck's skin was turning pale and that the blood was pooling on me. But I didn't care. I just wanted the person I believe to love to be alive. "They should be able to help."

"_Should_?" Meghan asked me with a serious face, "What if they can't?"

A tear fell when I realized that. "Then we have to hope for a miracle."


	13. Chapter 13

I followed the group gloomily, the two halves of my heart shattered into twenty million small pieces, roaming my body, wanting to be pieced back together. Ash had Puck over his shoulder, carrying him under two twisting giant oaks. He set Puck down and we waited.

Finally, two figures stepped out of the trees- dryads. Slender and beautiful, they peered at us with beetle-like eyes. "News come to us from everywhere," one of the dryads said. "Ethel, I thank you for helping the dryads near your palace have peace." I nodded and a tear fell on my hand.

"We know why you all came here," the other dryad stated to us all. "We know of your plight with the Iron King. The breeze that ruffles our leaves send us whispers of faraway news. We have been waiting for you, child of two worlds."

"Please," Meghan stepped forward, "can you help Puck? He was shot on the way here. I'll bargain-"

"Or you can repay your thanks," I suddenly piped up, not knowing what I was saying. "He will die if we get him some help."

"Death is a part of living," the dryad that thanked me told. "All things have an end, even someone who has lived as long as Puck. His stories will be forgotten, forget-"

"Stop!" I cried out, clasping my hands over my ears in fear, falling to my knees, "It's not his time, not yet! Please!" Suddenly, the trees above us sighed, and I looked at the dryads. They looked at each other, then at Meghan.

"She is strong," the first whispered.

"Her power sleeps," the other mumbled back, "the trees hear, and the earth answers her."

"Perhaps it will be enough." Then, the first dryad dragged Puck to a tree, and they both melted into the bark. I smiled, putting my face in my hands to stop the crying, as Meghan asked with alarm,

"What are you doing?"

"Do not fear," the remaining dryad turning back to us. "We cannot heal him, but we can stop the damage. We will let him out when he's feeling well enough to come back to you. It may be a night or twenty years, entirely up to him." She then tilted her head, shedding moss. "You and your companions may stay here tonight. The fey of iron cannot come in here, for the power of trees keeps them out. We will call for you when it is time." I wiped away any remaining tears and shakily stood up.

"Thank you," I whispered to the dryad before she disappeared into her tree, and she nodded.

_*A bit later...*_

After sitting on a stump of a poor, chopped off tree, looking at the sky sadly, I walked around, wanting to see how Meghan was faring. I saw her being hogged by satyrs, and I sighed, running over, same as Ash. "We can do it do it rough, right, boys?"

"So can I," Ash said, sliding an arm around Meghan's shoulders as I put my hand on the handle of my sword in warning. "This one is off limits," he told the satyrs, who cringed.

"You touch any of us again and your head will be chopped off," I warned.

"And I will freeze your testicles and put them in a jar. Understood?" Ash narrowed his eyes at them and they stammered apologies and ran off.

"Freeze their testicles?" I asked myself with disgust, "Put them in a jar? Ew." I turned to Ash and Meghan, who were embracing and Ash was calming Meghan and all the things the lovey-dovey couple do. I shook my head, smiled, and went to sit on the stump again.

_*Dawn*_

Well, I wasn't told of the meeting between Meghan and the Elder, and everyone except me was there, so I wanted to shoot myself for not paying closer attention to the trees. At least I would be with Puck, right? Whatever. I went to visit Puck once more before we had to leave. Meghan had already said her goodbyes to Puck and walked off with Ash- I told them I will catch up quickly.

I walked up to the tree, putting a hand on the rough but soothing bark. _Puck, _I thought, hoping they would go through to him, _I miss you. Even though only a few hours have separated us, you preoccupied my terrified thoughts. Puck, I... _"I love you," I whispered, and took my hand off, looking away sadly and going to catch up with the group._  
_

I had hunting gear on- my usual trench coat, hunting boots, a thin, comfortable white shirt, brown hunting pants, some hunting things in my trench coat, a bow across my back, a quiver beside it, my sword at my side, daggers in various places in my clothes. I caught up to Ash and Meghan, who were just standing at the edge of the forest, talking, and I arched my eyebrows, but shrugged, waiting until they were done.

Meghan got some supplies and mortal food at a 'gas station,' and we were finally in the wyldwood when Ash and Meghan started talking _yet again. _I ignored them until Grimalkin was in our company. "I was thinking," he cut off whatever Meghan was about to say, and everyone looked to him. "Charging headfirst into Machina's realm is probably a bad idea."

"And why would that be?" I asked, crossing my arms as I leaned against the trunk of a huge tree, reminding me of Puck, but I pushed that out of my mind, not wanting to breakdown again. That has been happening a lot lately, and it's pathetic. But it was worth it, I guess.

"He has been sending his soldiers after us, he abducted your brother, though most likely doesn't have any use for him- don't you think that he wants you to come after him?" I nodded, understanding him.

"Overconfident?" Meghan guessed, but I shook my head.

"Why would he want you to go and kill him? There's something going on here," I argued.

"Something that's missing or something we can't see..." Grimalkin then looked up at us, narrowing his eyes. "I will be leaving."

"What? Why?" Meghan cried out.

"I have a theory." Grimalkin stood, his tail waving at us. "I think I might know another way into Machina's realm. You are welcome to join me."

"A theory?" Ash asked, crossing his arms, much like me. "We can't break plan for a hunch, Grimalkin."

"Even if the way you're going leads you to a trap?"

"We have to risk it. We've come so close, Grim. We can't turn back now."

"We're not turning back," I piped up, and they all looked at me. "Grimalkin is right. Sneaking around to bite Machina in the back is probably a better idea. But, if you two really want to go headfirst into Machina's realm, fine. I won't stop you."

"But we need you guys. Grim, you always pointed us in the right direction. And Ethel, you can help us battle the iron fey," Meghan told us desperately.

"I am not a fighter, human," Grim shook his head.

"And you have your prince to fight for you," I smiled.

"Now," Grimalkin looked at Meghan. "It is time to settle our debts and part."

"Right..." Meghan sighed. I saw Ash move to stand by Meghan, and I smirked. "A deal's a deal. What do you want?"

"This is my price," Grimalkin said, "I want to be able to call on you, once, at a time of my choice, no questions."

"That's it?" Meghan asked. Grimalkin nodded.

"A summoning?" Ash sounded confused. "Kind of odd for you, Cait Sith. What do you hope to do?"

Grim ignored him. "When I call, you are to come straight away, and help me in any able way. This is my contract. You are bound to me until this is fulfilled."

"Alright," Meghan nodded. "I can live with that cost. But if you call for me, how am I supposed too know where you are?"

Grimalkin sneezed a laugh. "Oh, you'll know." And Grimalkin turned. "Follow me, Ethelia." I raised my eyebrows but followed.


	14. Chapter 14

**This chapter and the next will be the shortest. Sorry.**

I followed Grimalkin through woods and woods and woods, until we reached the fortress. He led me around, to a small gate in the back. "Now," Grim sat, licking his paw, his tail swinging, "I would've just sneaked past that guard-" I looked closer and saw the guard who was dead silent, his eyes prowling the wilderness, "-but I guess, since you-"

"I can disappear too, Grimalkin," I whispered in amusement.

"Yes, but you have to open the door to get through, and the guard will most likely notice, so go. Do your stuff." I smiled and wound glamour of the wyldwood around myself so as to make myself invisible. I prowled at him quietly, taking out my sword as quietly as possible. Still, though, he perked up and looked close to where I was. I then took out a dagger from my boot, and went behind a tree, throwing the dagger into a tree a bit far away. He saw the dagger and went towards where he thought the dagger came from, and I went behind him, mumbling a sorry before piercing him with my sword in his heart. He stood, frozen, and then crumpled to the ground once I took the sword out. I smiled guiltily before grabbing the keys that were latched to his belt and went towards the door. I shed the illusion and unlocked the gate with the key. I kicked it open and Grimalkin darted between my legs.

"So, you wanted to keep away from the iron until I was done?" I smiled and Grimalkin looked at me, lowly hissing.

"Follow me," he said, turning around and waving his tail, then dashing off. I shook my head in amusement and ran after him.

_*A day or so later...*_

I had followed Grimalkin around Machina's realm to yet another back door. "Again," Grimalkin told me and I nodded, though my glamour is being drained. Actually, there wasn't really any glamour around to use. Stupid realm. I hid behind a metallic tree, not daring to touch it, and threw the dagger precisely at the guard, who crippled to the floor immediately. This is going way too easy. I took his key and my dagger, unlocked the door to see stairs that go up. Before I ducked inside, I heard the growls of rain. Those clouds didn't look friendly. I ducked inside and trailed upstairs, my speed weakened by the iron.

_*A few or so hours later, again...*_

Luckily, there wasn't a guard at the door that we came up to, because I _really _did not feel like fighting. _But, _the door wouldn't open. I looked below the handle and found a key lock and groaned. Then, there was a faint click, leading me and Grim to disappear immediately. The door opened right as I stepped back and held the dagger in ready. A guard looked for us but couldn't see so he shrugged before a shocked expression was the last expression he gave his body before his heart was stabbed by my dagger. Ugh, these guards are very oblivious. I looked past the door at a cluttered room where a large oak tree grew in front of Meghan and Ash, tons of knights behind them. I raised my eyebrows as the tree grew, and looked down at the feline. "You get them to the exit." As the knights charged, the floor started to crack, stopping some front-line soldiers from getting to Meghan and Ash and giving me enough time to get over there. I slid to in front of them, taking out my sword in warning to the soldiers that were going towards us. The two looked at me in surprise as I started to charge at the soldiers. _You guys came close to killing my love, _my thoughts shouted at them, _you shall pay!_ And that was how I could keep the soldiers off of Meghan and Ash as Grimalkin took them through a trod or whatever and I followed quickly.

_*Afterwards...*_

I sat up, rubbing my head. I looked around and saw (and smelled) tons of iron. I groaned, standing up. I looked to Grimalkin, who was sitting beside a snoring Meghan and her brother Ethan. I smiled at the sleeping two and looked at Grim. "Ash took off, didn't he?" I asked him and Grim nodded. "I'll be going, also. Summer is waiting for me."

"Then I wish you farewell and hope to see you in the future," the feline said, unconcerned of what was happening to me, and I took off.


	15. Epilogue!

**LAST CHAPTER! And it seems to be even shorter than the one before. That's nice.**

Upon arriving at Arcadia's heart,- where Oberon and Mother were- all kinds of Summer fey circled me, asking all kinds of questions- what happened? Where's Meghan? Where's Puck? Blah blah blah. I waved them off, going to the throne room, where I was met by my mother's embrace. "We have been worrying for you, my daughter!" Titania wept, and I smiled, hugging her back.

"Glad to be back," I told her sincerely when we separated.

"Come, come, Ethel," she ushered me outside. "We shall have a feast! The daughter of Titania is back for her wedding!" I froze after Mother said the words.

"How could I forget?" I asked myself with a sigh.

"This marriage," Mother continued, "shows that Summer and Winter shall have peace! We celebrate tonight!"

"Mother?" I turned to Titania, knowing she was done, "when's the wedding gonna take place?"

"Tomorrow," Titania told me. "That is why we were so worried. We thought you would be back too late and Queen Mab would get enraged at us, though I would like to see the little bitch angry."

"Mother!" I laughed, "don't be so cruel to the Winter queen!"

"Eh, it's not hard to be," Mother smiled at me. "I can't really cooperate with your future mother-in-law. Is that a bad thing?"

"Yeah, kinda," I nudged my mom, "but that's okay. I can't get along with her either." Mother smiled.

"Now," she told me, "let's design for you the perfect dress." My eyebrows raised.

"Does it _have _to be all public and stuff?" I groaned. "I don't like those kinds of weddings." Yes I do. But I don't want to do that when I'm marrying someone I don't love as much as someone else. And I'm being forced.

"Yes, m'dear," Mother exclaimed. She looked at me seriously right outside of Lady Weaver's room. "Ethel, this is important. If the wedding doesn't come to be, Mab is going to start a war." I widened my eyes as she knocked on the door. "She said that her son deserved a wife and he wasn't picking one, and he automatically picked you when he was asked." The door opened to Lady Weaver, who immediately spotted me and nodded.

"Follow me, girl. We will make this marriage the best yet."

_*After all the wedding dress making...*_

I gasped when I looked down. "Oh, it looks perfect!" Lady Weaver went all fan-girl on her own creation, and I laughed. I looked down at it for the millionth time, and thought that it was, indeed, perfect. _But it's not the perfect marriage. _I sighed and Lady Weaver looked at me in concern. "What did I do wrong, Lady Ethelia?" she asked me, and I shook my head.

"It's nothing. This is all perfect. I'm just remembering. And please, call me Ethel." She nodded.

"You may change back into your clothes when you want," she told me, "I will be down talking to Queen Titania if you have anything to tell me, alright?" I nodded, marveling at the dress, and she left me to myself, closing the door.

"Oh, Puck," I whispered to myself. "I wish you were with me, that it was you who I-" I then shook my head. "I doubt that fairytale will come true." I changed with disgust to what has been happening to me, and I rushed to my room, where I sobbed. For Puck. For myself.

**THERE WILL BE A SEQUEL. I know that much. And it's probably either going to come out today or tomorrow. I'll post the link as another chapter when I have the story. (: THANK YOU FOR READING :D**


	16. Sequel!

Hey guys! I already got the sequel underway, and here it is!

/s/9148685/1/

You might have to copy and paste.

Thank you so much for reading! (:


	17. Actual Sequel!

Well, I tried all I could, but Fanfiction just wouldn't let me give you the sequel. SO, you have to go to the search engine, type in "A Success" and rule it out until it's in the Iron Fey series, romance and some other category, etc. etc.

Or you could go on a hunt in the Iron Fey page or whatever you wanna call it.

Sorry, peoples!


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